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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Live action graphic novel announces tour dates

Never heard of a live 'graphic novel' before? You're not alone as the show, The Intergalactic Nemesis, is the first of it's kind... well, second maybe. The newly announced tour covers the second 'chapter' of the story- Robot Planet Uprising.

When I first saw the release, I was a little 'huh?', but I've gotta say, this sounds like it actually might be a lot of fun. One thing's for sure- it's definitely original, no doubt about that. The story centers on 1933 Earth and a mysterious portal that brings travelers to a strange, robotic world.

The year is 1933. Picking up two weeks after the end of Book One: Target Earth,
Book Two finds Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Molly Sloan and intrepid
research assistant Timmy Mendez on Robonovia, the Robot Planet. When
the robot emissary Elbee-Dee-Oh disappears in deep space, it's up to
Molly to rescue him. If only it were that simple. At that same time, and
unbeknownst to her, Molly’s former fiancé Dr. Lawrence Webster has
miraculously arrived on Robonovia, the Cerebretron is malfunctioning,
Timmy has only just begun to master his telekinetic powers, a sinister
robot named Alphatron is up to something terribly nefarious, and the
duplicitous Soviet spy Natasha Zorokov has followed Dr. Webster through
the Galactascope. Will it all get sorted out? Or is there another, more
evil, thread to this complex tapestry? There's only one way to find out!

Basically, the show works like this- three voice actors, a sound effects performer, and a music director are up on the stage. They do the panel by panel acting out of a full length comic book tale as the pages from it are cast across a giant screen. Oh, and it's not short- the whole of chapter 2 is told in 1,250 "hand-drawn, full-color, hi-res, blow-your-mind comic-book images". But don;t take my word for it- take it away, famed television celebrity talk show host, Conan O'Brien:

There'll be all kinds of neat stuff like props from the show, memorabilia, and actual graphic novelizations available for fans to purchase at performances as well. And make sure you're on the lookout for local tie-ins at restaurants when you go - that's a nice touch there.

In a genre of its own—Live-Action Graphic Novel—The Intergalactic
Nemesis saga is a hilarious, uplifting adventure of
heroes-by-circumstance overcoming impossible odds. But the telling is
what makes the experience of The Intergalactic Nemesis so incredibly
unique: while three actors, one Foley artist, and one keyboardist
perform all the voices, sound effects and music, more than 1,250
hand-drawn, full-color, hi-res, blow-your-mind comic-book images blast
from the screen, all performed live.

The
Intergalactic Nemesis—the production which has toured the nation since
its 2010 Austin premiere—is set to debut its second installment in its
hometown of Austin, Texas on June 8. Created and directed by Jason
Neulander, the Austin-created production is written by Neulander &
Chad Nichols with voice acting by Shannon McCormick, Danu Uribe and
Jason Phelps, featuring a live, original score by Graham Reynolds and
live sound effects created by Buzz Moran. The enormous, projected comic
art is courtesy of David Hutchison’s line art with spectacular coloring
by Lee Duhig. Neulander has created a cottage industry out of his East
Austin home, a community of creative colleagues, and by developing an
original version of the show at Little City Coffee Shop over 15 years
ago.

Fun through and through, The Intergalactic
Nemesis is also available in audio-version on CD and the bound graphic
novels are available online and at productions along with Zygonian
slime, sound effects gadgets, and more. Neulander has also arranged for
fun, local tie-ins for the premiere such as an Amy's Ice Creams combo
and a House Pizzeria pork belly and brussels sprouts pizza. A number of
actual, locally built robots will be at the premiere including a full
size R2D2 from the Star Wars series (built by Jamie McShan). KUT Radio
(Austin’s NPR affiliate) will be broadcasting the radio versions of
Books One and Two on their program O'Dark:30, also featuring Nemesis for
the June 5 "Views and Brews" at the Cactus Cafe.

Sound good? The Intergalactic Nemesis comes to NY this October, particularly cool is that it will be playing at the New Victory theater in NYC in April of next year. The Vic is right next door to Spider-Man Turn off the Dark- that'd make for a pretty nice afternoon of comic book, sci-fi geekery. Want more cities (and states)? The full selection of dates, if for some reason you don't live in the Metro area, is listed below.

The Intergalactic Nemesis 2012/2013 Tour Dates

June 8, 2012 – Book Two: Robot Planet Rising at the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin, Texas

August 29, 2012 – Book One: Target Earth at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana

September 21, 2012 – Book One: Target Earth at McCain Auditorium, Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas

September
22, 2012 – Book One: Target Earth and Book Two: Robot Planet Rising at
Lied Center for the Arts, University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas

October 12, 2012 – Book One: Target Earth at Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio

October 21, 2012 – Book One: Target Earth at Smith Center for the Arts in Geneva, New York

October 26, 2012 – Book Two: Robot Planet Rising at The Flynn in Burlington, Vermont

The Angry Spark

And now deep thoughts, with the editor...

Will Steam Greenlight ever really amount to anything? The fledgeling 'give indie games a chance service' seems doomed from the start as it's already bloated with shovelware and ridiculously amateurish stuff.